Windshield wiper



May 30, 1939. l., zAlGER WINDSHIELD WIPER Filed March 1, 1954 Dke lnveno. Louis Zo ger 2 w26/@Waff Ays.

Patented May 30, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application March l,

Claims.

This invention relates to windshield wipers for automobiles and particularly to the means for attaching the wiper -blade to the wiper arm.

One of the objects of the invention is to pro- 5' vide an improved wiper blade attachment which is constructed so that the wiper blade can' be readily applied to any one of the several different types of wiper arms that are now in common use.

One type of wiper arm has a U shape at its end,

another type of wiper arm is in the form of a rod having its end bent laterally thereby presenting a general L shape and still another type of wiper arm is formed at its end with two wings adapted to straddle the wiper blade.

My present invention provides anovel clip device adapted to be attached to the wiper blade and which is constructed so that it can be detachably connected to a wiper arm of any one of the abovementioned types.

My improved clip is constructed with two spaced sides adapted to receive between them the L- shaped end of the rod type of wiper arm and also adapted to be received between the flanges of the U-shaped type. The clip is also provided with means to interlock with each type to prevent accidental displacement.

In order to give an understanding of the in- Vention I have illustrated in the drawing a selected embodiment thereof which will now be de- '0 scribed after which the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Fig. l is a view of a wiper blade sho-wing it connected to the type of wiper arm having the U-shaped end;

51 Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of the clip shown in Fig, l but with part of the wiper arm broken away;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3, Fig. l;

Fig 4 is a fragmentary View illustrating the wiper blade having my improved attaching means as applied to the L-shaped type of arm;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the blade having my improvements as applic to still a different type of wiper arm;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section on the line 5-5, Fig. l;

Fig. 7 shows the blank from which the clip is made;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the clip detached from the wiper blade;

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9 8, Fig. 5.

My invention can be applied to wiper 'blades of different constructions. The wiper blade herein shown is indicated generally at I and it is of the known type comprising a holder member 2 of metal which is U-shaped in cross section and a plurality of flexible wiping strips 3, preferably of soft rubber, which are confined between the legs 4 of the holder. There is shown in Fig. 1 a wiper arm 5 of a type which is in common use,

1934, Serial No. '713,463

said arm being made of a strip o-f resilient metal The means for attaching the wiper blade I to the wiper arm 5 comprises a clip member indicated generally at 9, one form of which may con.- veniently be made from a blank I such as shown in Fig. '7. This blank is formed with the two body portions II connected by a bridge I2, each body portion having an ear' I3 and an extension I. The bridge portion l2 is also formed with a projection I 5 extending therefrom and each body portion is formed with a notch 28.

In making the clip this blank is bent at the bridge portion I2 into a U shape so that the body portions l i assume positions substantially parallel to each other but spaced apart from each other. The two ears I3 are designed to straddle the holder 2 of the wiper element l and are secured to the wiper element by any suitable means such for instance as a screw or rivet which passes through the ears and the wiper element. In the drawing I have shown a screw i6 for this purpose, said screw having a nut I'I screw threaded thereto to retain it in place.

When the blank I8 is bent to form the clip the body portions Ii of the blank constitute two parallel side portions of the completed clip. These side portions are shown as having grooves I8 formed in their exterior faces which extend in the direction of the length of the wiper element I, said grooves providing corresponding ribs i9 on the inner faces of the side members I I for a purpose which will lbe presently described.

The clip is constructed so that the two sides I I lit between the flanges 8 of the U-shaped end 6 of the wiper arm 5 and one at least of the exten-V sions I l is formed with a projection which cooperates with the rear edges 23 of the flanges 8 to assist in retaining the clip attached to the holder. Such projection may be formed by deforming one or both of the extensions I4 in some suitable way as by striking up a portion of each extension or by bending one or both of the extensions outwardly as shown best in Fig. 8.

The projection I5 is preferably bent backwardly into the shape shown and is made somewhat resilient. Said projection (zo-operates with the end 2I of the arm 5 to assist in holding the arm and clip in their attached relation,

The clip may be attached to the arm 5 by inserting the end 2I of the arm underneath the resilient linger I5 and with the two ilanges 8 of the arm embracing the sides II of the clip. When the arm has been inserted under the finger I5 into a position with the end 2i thereof occupying the notches 28 and the arm and wiper blade are in their operative positions the projection or projections formed by the wings I4 co-operate with the rear edge or edges 23 or the flanges 8 of the arm to prevent withdrawal of the clip from the arm in the direction of the length of the arm. The nger or projection I5 co-operates with the extremity of the arm 5 to prevent the arm from disengagement of the clip in a direction at right angles to the wiper blade. With this construction, therefore, the U-shaped end 6 of the wiper arm embraces the sides ll of the clip, the projection formed by the extension I4 co-operates with the rear edge 23 of one of the anges 8 and the projection l5 (3o-operates with the extremity of said arm 5 to limit relative movement between the arm and the clip in the direction of the length of the wiper blade, while the finger or projection l5 co-operates with the portion of the arm 5 to prevent separation of the clip and the arm in a direction at right angles to the wiper blade. The wiper blade is thus securely retained on the wiper arm but the ccnstruction is such that the wiper blade can be readily detached or separated from the wiper arm in case it is necessary to replace it with a nov wiper blade.

I have described above the construction of the clip and the manner in which it is attached to the wiper blade having the U-shaped end. In Fig. 4 there is illustrated a different type of Wiper blade 2li in the form of a rod having its end bent laterally as shown at 25. As stated above the clip is also adapted for use for attachment to this type of wiper arm and to provide for this the resilient retainer arm i5 is formed with an aperture 26 adapted to receive the bent end 25 of the arm 24.

In attaching a wiper blade having this improvement to the wiper arm 2 the end of the arm is inserted between the sides ll of the clip and the bent end 25 of the arm is inserted through the aperture 25, the portion 2l' of the arm 2li resting on the ribs i9. The spacing between the sides il is approximately the same as the diameter of the rod Eil so that said rod fits into this space and the aperture 25 has a transverse diameter substantially the same as the diameter or the end 25 of the arm M Since the portion El of the arm 2li fits between the two side portions ii the clip will be securely attached to the arm but without any flopping or rocking mction between the clip and the arm.

In Fig. 5 there is shown still another form of wiper arm which comprises a rod 23 having a U- shaped attaching member secured thereto which is provided with the two sides or cheek pieces 3S. In attaching the clip to this form of arm the clip is inserted between the two sides or cheel; pieces 38 and an attaching bolt or screw 3i passes through the two cheek pieces 35 and either through the notches 2B or through the holes S3 with which the sides ll of the clip are provided. If the attaching screw is inserted through the notches 2a the resilient finger l5 will serve to retain the screw in the notches.

The construction is such that when the clip is applied to any one of the wiper arms shown there will be no appreciable rccln'ng movement between the clip and the wiper arm.

The clip is relatively simple in construction and is well adapted for use with any one of the three types of wiper arm illustrated.

I claim:

l. A windshield wiper comprising a wiping element, a clip secured thereto and by which it is attached to a wiper arm, said clip having two spaced sides adapted to t between the side flanges of a wiper arm having a U-shaped attaching portion and also having a laterally-extending projection co-operating with the rear edge of one of said side flanges to limit relative movement between the clip and wiper arm in the direction of the length of the wiping element.

2. A windshield wiper comprising a wiping element, a clip secured thereto and by which it is attached to a wiper arm, said clip having two spaced sides adapted to t between the side iianges of a wiper arm having a U-shaped attaching portion and also having a retaining portion co-operating with an edge of one of said side flanges to limit relative movement between the clip and the wiper arm in the direction of the length oi the wiping element.

3. A windshield wiper comprising a wiper element, a clip secured thereto and by which it is attached to a wiper arm, said clip having two spaced sides adapted to fit between the side ilanges of a wiper arm having a U-shaped attaching portion, and also having a laterally-extending projection to co-operate with the rear edge of one oi the side flanges of the U-shaped attaching portion and further having a projection to co-operate with the extremity of said wiper arm, said projections limiting relative movement between the clip and wiper arm in the direction of the length of the wiper element.

4. A windshield wiper comprising a wiper element, a clip secured thereto and by which it is attached to a wiper arm, said clip having two spaced sides adapted to t between the side iianges of a wiper arm having a U-shaped attaching portion and also having a laterally-extending projection to co-operate with the rear edge of one of the side flanges of the U-shaped attaching portion and further having a projection to co-operate with the extremity of said wiper arm, said projections limiting relative movement between the clip and wiper arm in the direction of the length of the wiper element, said clip further having means to overlie the back of the wiper arm to prevent accidental displacement in a direction at right angles to the length of the wiping element.

5. A windshield wiper comprising a wiping element, a clip by which said wiping element is attached to a wiper arm having a U-shaped attaching portion and a transverse lip at its end, said clip having a U-shaped body comprising two parallel legs and a connecting portion, means for attaching said clip to the wiping element with the legs extending in a direction parallel to the lengthwise direction of the 'wiping element and with the connecting portion at one end of the clip, the two legs constituting spaced sides adapted to nt between the side flanges of the U- shaped attaching portion of the wiper arm, each leg having a notch in its upper edge adjacent the connecting portion adapted to receive said lip and the connecting portion having a finger integral therewith extending backwardly over said attaching portion of the wiper arm, the free ends of the legs having lateral extensions engaging the attaching portion remote from said lip and assisting in retaining the operative connection between the clip and the arm.

LOUIS ZAIGER. 

